Filey remembers the Hull Blitz . #Hull2017

Hull Blitz from Cammish Family 

Our family parrot the much loved Polly died during the last war , not through old age , but because her diet of oranges and bananas was withdrawn and she would not eat the substitutes. 

That is one of the few stories we Bruce children of the 50s were ever told of the  1939-45 WAR in Hull by our Grandfather. From our father and aunt we gleaned more, 

• how our father had to be careful cycling to the docks seeing to telecommunications , careful not to set off unexploded stuff
• how one lemon would make lemon curd , lemon meringue and the skin wiped round the nails to improve the look of them .I ask you , 1 lemon?
• how the Morrison shelter was in the breakfast room of Church Mount and Grannie had to be wheeled in her wheelchair and how the time before the All Clear was usually spent playing cards
• How wonderful a real egg was
• How counting the seconds after a Doodlebug cut out was the most frightening thing in the whole war in Sutton
• How father went to work at the telephone exchange all day and fire watched in Sutton  many nights
• How visitors from the College , a couple of hundred yards away from Church Mount  would always bring their ration books with them in case they couldn't get home
• How the pantry window still had the criss cross tape across it in 1986 

Fireman Eddie Cammish 

We only heard random and seemingly trivial stuff, and now that I am in my riper years I wish I had  asked more questions. I blogged about this once before and can add little to my meagre knowledge .

This is not the case with friends in Filey . Joanne and Ian Cammish at Cammish Outdoors shop have plenty to tell . 

Joanne writes of Ians Dad

Hull Blitz.

Hull 1941

The year was 1941 this was the year where Hull suffered the most bombing and night raids ,most nights in the early summer onwards the young Eddie Cammish of Filey was a fire man in Hull for the war effort at that time one Sunday night in particular he re counted to me that he had a 24 hour pass home ,as he left Filey for Hull walking up Station avenue(FILEY) the sky was already a light from the bombing that was to greet him on his arrival . As the train neared Hull the whole of Hull seemed to be ablaze, he went out of the front of the station many bombs had caused serious damage and bombs were raining down on him as he ran to the top of Spring Bank (Blundell’s yard) the fire station buildings were damaged too, his fellow officers shouted come on Eddie were off just now so he jumped on the engine as it took off. the scenes were of blasts and carnage all over their first job was a wholestreet that had been blown to bits, with a lonesome armsaluting 

heavenwards ......There was no body attached ....all through the night the Salvation Army tea wagon stayed by their side as they tried to dig bodies out of the mayhem, constantly at their side offering support tea and sandwiches, and they didn’t leave till they were all done. Eddie would be very emotional when recounting these tales .he always donated to the Salvation Army; they were very dear to his heart.

Hull Blitz  photo from Cammish's 

My friend Mick Corner who grew up in Beverley tells another story of the Hull Blitz. He tells of relations who lived in the Boulevard, and being completely bombed out set out to walk to Beverley but were turned back from doing so( as road blocks contained the city -my understanding). The family did find a way out and turned up at Beverley with nothing but the clothes they stood up in , and covered in black soot. 

Ive blogged about this today as I was so moved by the MADE IN HULL installation and light show in Queen Victoria Square .

Thanks!!

Guardian article was brilliant